Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) is a revolutionary defensive tactics system based on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that incorporates time-tested techniques into an easy-to-learn system designed to help officers humanely prevail against larger and stronger opponents. Active-duty law enforcement professionals, as well as military personnel and first responders, can access the GST system online, via our streaming video course, or in-person at our five-day instructor certification courses.

Almost a Century-Long Track RecordGracie Jiu-Jitsu, also known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or BJJ, was developed by Helio Gracie. Beginning in the 1920’s, Helio began his journey of tailoring the system to use various principles, such as leverage and distance management, to defeat opponents who were almost twice as large as him and much more athletic. Helio spent his long life testing and refining the techniques against all challengers.

After the UFC took the world by storm in 1993, people all over the world realized that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the only system that would give someone a realistic chance against a larger, more athletic opponent. Shortly thereafter, in response to requests by law enforcement officers, the Gracie Family extracted the simplest and most effective techniques to address the most common threat situations facing law enforcement professionals.

In the ensuing twenty years, GST has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies (Local, State, and Federal), and the program continues to evolve every single day based on the feedback from those who put themselves in harm’s way every day and night. As Rener Gracie likes to say “In the beginning, we were teaching jiu-jitsu TO law enforcement; now we’re teaching jiu-jitsu FOR law enforcement.”

Watch Ryron and Rener Gracie Discuss the GST Truths

A Perfect Fit for Today’s Tactical, Legal & Political Environment
The GST System has recently been reviewed both medically and legally for use in law enforcement. Furthermore, although GST was developed for its tactical effectiveness, its leverage-based techniques are less likely to cause serious injury to both the officer and arrestee. Also, GST’s benign appearance has a greater acceptance from a viewing public, which has been increasingly scrutinizing televised videos of police actions. Here are some links to those reviews as well as some articles about the system:

The GST AdvantageAn encounter between a law enforcement professional and suspect is vastly different from a street fight or a sport jiu-jitsu match. Yet, some defensive tactics programs make no distinction. GST is the fastest growing defensive tactics program in the world because it is the only “jiu-jitsu based” program that is 100% law enforcement applicable that has also been proven in actual combat by US military troops around the globe. We built this highly successful program over the last 20 years on these three “truths:”

The bad guy always has the ambush advantage.
In a real fight, there is no referee to start or to stop the fight when you are getting assaulted. Only the suspect knows when and how he will attack. Any time you are close enough to conduct a pat-down, or to exchange documents, you are close enough to be ambushed. In the GST program, we teach simple and effective sudden assault defense strategies that enable you to neutralize the threat and achieve a position of advantage while minimizing injury to yourself and the bad guy.

Never grapple with the suspect by choice.
As a law enforcement professional, the public doesn’t pay you to fight fairly. If you enter into a “grappling match” with the suspect, you put yourself in great danger since the suspect could take your weapons and use them against you. If, however, the fight goes to the ground against your will, you must know what to do. In the GST program, we teach time-tested escape techniques that can be used to get you off the ground and back to your feet so that you can establish distance and utilize the appropriate force option to neutralize the threat. GST also features a series of leverage-based weapon retention principles you can apply in any grappling scenario to keep your weapons secure until you have the opportunity to disengage from the ground fight. Our philosophy is simple: Learn how to grapple, so you don’t have to.

In a street fight, there is no “tap-out.”
In sportive jiu-jitsu practice, the tap-out matters; in a fight for your life against an aggressive subject, it doesn’t. For law enforcement professionals, we understand that victory isn’t achieved until you neutralize the threat and apprehended the suspect. In the GST program we have devised a series of simple, yet reliable, handcuffing procedures you can use from virtually every position in the fight, and the techniques are applicable to both solo and partner arrests.

Tactical Gear TestedWe have tested every technique in the Gracie Survival Tactics course in body armor and a duty belt. In fact, we have included the full tactical gear demo for Level 1 and Level 2 techniques in the GST online video courses. At the five-day instructor certification courses, the techniques are practiced in duty gear to ensure universal effectiveness.

Educated "Bad Guys"MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world, and the general public’s knowledge of basic fighting strategies and techniques has never been so high. There is a very real risk that a law enforcement professional will encounter a bad guy with some form of martial arts training. The GST program is designed to give law enforcement professionals – regardless of age, gender or athletic ability – the skills to: 1) Neutralize the threat, 2) Retain control of their weapons, and 3) Achieve a position of advantage so they can utilize appropriate force.

Multi-Level System
The GST system of two levels of instructor certifications:

Level 1 Instructor Certification consists of 23 lessons that address the most common scenarios that a law enforcement professional is likely to confront.

Level 2 Instructor Certification adds 15 more lessons to complete the system that will give LE professionals the tools to survive and prevail in the ever-changing, fast-paced environment of today’s streets.

Online Courses: Level 1 and Level 2
Both GST courses, Level 1 and Level 2, are available online via streaming video. Although the online courses do not qualify you to teach GST in your department, these password-protected, mobile-device compatible, distance learning courses offer:

Video Instruction: Watch the Gracie Brothers explain and demonstrate the GST techniques in extreme detail in front of a live audience at Gracie University headquarters.

Immediate Access: After you submit a basic application and we verify your military or law enforcement credentials, we will unlock the GST course in your Gracie University lesson library so you can start training immediately.

Bullet Point Presentations: Incredibly organized to enhance student learning with detailed printouts available for each lesson.

Book Marks: The student can bookmark essential points in each lesson for quick reference.

Note-Taking Feature: This allows the student to take notes on critical details as they learn the course of instruction.

Interactive Forum: A dedicated forum where the student can engage other fellow students (military and law enforcement restricted) in conversations around the world.

Plant the Seed: If your organization will not finance your participation in the five-day hands-on GST instructor certification course, you can use the online course to learn the techniques, share them with your colleagues, and eventually influence the decision makers to support your attendance to the hands-on course. To learn more about how to get GST adopted by your agency, read 9 Vital Steps to Incorporate GST in Your Agency.

Lifetime Access: Once you purchase the online course, it’s yours forever. You can log in to your account and review your GST techniques at any time and from any place.

Free Updates: GST is a “living curriculum” that we constantly refine to meet the needs of those whose lives depend on it. Each time we modify a GST technique we re-record that video lesson and replace it in your online library so you are always up to date on the most effective technique.

The Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) instructor certification course is a 5-day “Train-the-Trainer” course during which all participants learn the techniques and teaching methodologies necessary to return home and effectively transfer the GST system to the other members of their organizations. Although no experience is necessary to participate in the 30-hour course, only the participants who meet the Gracie University quality standard for technical execution and instruction will qualify for certification.

The 5-Day BreakdownAltogether, the GST course is five days long, with six hours of training per day, totaling 30 hours of instruction. Absolutely no experience is necessary to participate in the course, and the techniques are designed to work for anyone regardless of age, gender, or fitness level. The first three days of the GST course are dedicated to technical instruction. Course participants will be introduced to all GST techniques in a calm and cooperative setting, and then they will strengthen their confidence through a series of Reflex Development Drills. The fourth day of the course is dedicated entirely to instructor training. Course participants will learn the Gracie teaching methodologies that have been perfected over nearly a century. For most participants, this is the highlight of the week as the teaching methodologies can be applied to any skill, not just defensive tactics. The last day of the course is when the final evaluation takes place. Course participants are tested in their comprehension and execution of the techniques as well as their ability to teach the techniques using the Gracie methods.

Program of InstructionEach course participant will receive a GST Program of Instruction (POI) which outlines all the techniques and teaching methods covered during the week. Not only will the POI help the course participants keep track of everything they learn throughout the week, but it will serve as an invaluable reference manual when the instructor returns home and is required to teach the GST techniques to their colleagues.

The GST Level 1 Instructor Certification Program consists of five modules:

Surprise Attack Counters: The surprise attack by a suspect who has feigned compliance is one of the most common and most dangerous situations. While most officers learn to recognize and prevent imminent attacks by employing a belt full of weapons, use of these weapons becomes very difficult and risky at close-range. The GST course specializes in defeating the worst-case, close-range attacks.

Survival & Escape Strategies: One of the worst-case scenarios for a law enforcement officer is to be taken to the ground by an aggressive subject. The GST course trains participants to use reliable leverage-based techniques to neutralize the initial barrage of strikes and escape from underneath the subject to regain a position of advantage. Additionally, since the techniques do not rely on strength, speed, or athleticism, they can be employed by smaller officers against larger, stronger subjects.

Weapon Retention Techniques A number of law enforcement officers who are killed in the line of duty are shot with their own weapon. The GST course teaches a series of simple yet highly-effective weapon retention principles that will defeat an attacker’s attempt to disarm the officer from any position in the fight, standing or on the ground.

Arrest & Control Procedures: In a physical altercation with an actively aggressive subject, the fight isn’t over until the threat has been neutralized and the subject is in handcuffs. The GST course features several highly effective handcuffing procedures that can be applied from any position in the fight and are effective in both solo and multi-officer arrest scenarios.

Gracie Teaching Methodologies: The GST course introduces participants to the time-tested Gracie teaching methodologies – perfected over nearly a century. Upon learning these skills, Gracie University certifies course participants to return to their organizations to share the invaluable survival skills with their colleagues.

Expert TestimonyUpon successful completion of the Level 1 GST Instructor Certification Course, we will issue you an instructor certificate valid for 18 months. During this period, if any excessive force allegations arise involving the use of the GST techniques, members of the Gracie family will be available to testify as “subject matter experts” on behalf of your department or agency. After the 18-month certification period expires, you must attend a 5-day recertification course in order to renew your certification. If you do not recertify, you may still practice/teach the techniques at your organization, but the Gracie family will not be able testify on your behalf in excessive force cases. The other significant benefit of recertification is the opportunity to learn new/modified techniques based on the feedback from users. That said, even if you are never able to recertify, you will benefit immensely from taking the GST course only once.

Free Online AccessAs an actively certified GST instructor, you will be granted free access to the online GST Level 1 video library for the duration of your certification period. Anytime new techniques is added or existing ones are modified, you will be notified so you can incorporate them into your training program.

Level 2 Instructor CertificationAlthough the Level 1 GST course addresses the most common threat scenarios facing law enforcement professionals, there are several critical threat scenarios that simply don’t fit into the five days allocated for Level 1 training. We created the Level 2 GST course to address these threats. To qualify to attend the Level 2 GST course, participants must have completed Level 1 no more than two years prior to their Level 2 course participation date. Not only does Level 2 course completion certify participants as Level 2 GST instructors, but it also serves as Level 1 recertification. Additionally, GST Level 2 graduates are granted access to the Level 2 online video library for the duration of their certification period.

In addition to reviewing all the Level 1 GST techniques and teaching methodologies, here are some of the concepts that will be addressed in the Level 2 GST course:

Instructor Certification vs. Online CourseOver the last few years, one of the most common question we get is: “Should I purchase the online-course or attend the five-day instructor certification course?”

The most important consideration is whether or not the GST course is intended for department-wide integration, or solely for personal use:

Full GST Integration: By all accounts, if you are currently a Defensive Tactics instructor in your department, and your goal is to implement some or all of the GST techniques into your existing DT program, you should do the live instructor certification course. Not only do you get online access for free, but the five-day course will officially qualify you to teach the entire program to your colleagues. As an actively certified instructor, the Gracie Famliy will be available to testify on behalf of your department if the need arises. Additionally, since you’ll be learning directly from a Gracie University head instructor, you will be able to ask questions and get answers through hands-on interaction that isn’t possible online.

Personal Use Only: If you aren’t a Defensive Tactics instructor, but you are an officer at a department or organization that does not provide effective hands-on solutions to keep you safe, then the online GST course is all you need (as well as a dedicated training partner to practice with). You will learn all the techniques, exactly as they are taught in the live GST course, but you won’t learn any of the teaching methodologies, so you won’t be qualified or authorized to officially teach them to other officers. Although the majority of GST instructor course attendees are DT instructors, about 15-20% of attendees are law enforcement officers who do not have any intentions to teach, but opted to do the live course anyways since it is the fastest way to learn the techniques and there are plenty of great training partners to learn with.

Ever since the US Army Rangers jumped on board in the mid 1990s, the Gracie techniques have been adopted by virtually every US federal law enforcement agency, hundreds of state, county and local agencies, as well as all five branches of the US Armed Forces. On this page you will find a complete list of all the organizations that have had their personnel certified in the Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) program over the years.

If your organization is GST certified, but is not listed below, please notify us via email at gst@gracieuniversity.com by providing the name of the individuals who were certified and the dates on which they completed the GST course.

The Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) instructor certification course is open to military and law enforcement professionals (reserve, guard, part-time duty acceptable). Corrections officers, EMTs and firefighters who are actively employed by a government agency are also eligible. On occasion, we make exceptions for select private security personnel to participate, but this must be approved in advance. When you arrive for training, you will be required to show a government issued badge and/or photo ID to verify eligibility. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact the GST Program Director by sending an email to: GST@GracieUniversity.com or calling (817) 692-8303.

What’s the difference between the GST techniques and Gracie Combatives techniques?
The GST techniques are VERY different from the Gracie Combatives techniques. First and foremost, each and every technique has been modified for military and law enforcement applicability. All of the GST techniques have been adapted to address weapon retention and to accommodate the reduced mobility experienced by law enforcement professionals when wearing tactical gear. In addition, all the techniques have been customized to end with the suspect in handcuffs.

If I complete the GST course online, will I be certified to teach it to my colleagues?
No. Although you are allowed to practice with your colleagues using the GST online course, before you are officially authorized to teach the GST techniques to any of your colleagues, you must complete the 5-day instructor certification course.

If I currently hold a valid GST Instructor's Certificate, how do I access the online GST Course?
If you have recently completed the GST Hands-On Instructor Certification Course and your certificate is still valid, you are entitled to receive full access to the GST online video course. In order for us to give you this access, please follow these steps: 1) Create a Gracie University profile if you haven't already, 2) Send an email to support@gracieuniversity.com with the following information: your full name, your department/organization, the location and date of the GST course you participated in, the expiration date on your GST instructor certificate, and a phone number for us to contact you. Once we get this information and verify your status as an actively certified GST instructor, we will unlock the GST course in your online lesson library. Please note that your GST online course access will remain as long as you hold a valid instructor's certificate. If your GST certificate expires and you fail to re-certify, the GST course will be removed from your online lesson library.

Are there any resources available to help me integrate GST at my agency?Yes, there was a very good article written by a GST certified, Texas police officer who overcame significant resistance to get GST into his department. The article is titled, “9 Strategies on Implementing GST at Your Agency.”

Purchase Options

GOVERNMENT DISCOUNT RATESFor multiple or bulk purchases, your organization can qualify for a discounted rate. Please Contact Us for a bulk discount rate and/or if your organization must make a payment other than by credit card.